The Reason I Come Home
by Free Mentality
Summary: When a day is spent in bliss, and it ends in bliss, one's happiest desire bubbles to the surface. Sometimes, it's shouted joyously from the top of the lungs. Other times, it's a reminder that is only acknowledged in silent thought. This time, it's whispered on the precipice of unconsciousness, and it blossoms into something promising.


There have been many moments in Chloe's life that have rendered her speechless.

Like when Aubrey projectile vomited into the crowd during her first solo with the Bellas.

Or the first time she heard Beca sing.

But this moment here, lying beside her girlfriend and basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking, was indescribable.

Beca's hair was fanned out on the pillow, her blue eyes languid and content. Her arms were folded above her head and her chest rose and fell unevenly as she recovered her breath.

Chloe was propped on her elbow, her available hand tracing random shapes across Beca's belly, up her ribs, around her breasts. Her nipples hardened with the attention, and a pleasured noise escaped her.

The sarcasm that usually quirked her lips was absent, instead replaced by something far more intimate, far more vulnerable. Something reserved solely for Chloe.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Beca asked, her voice soft and her eyes inquisitive.

By way of reply, Chloe leaned forward until their foreheads were pressed together. Her hand cupped Beca's cheek, her thumb a whisper as it caressed the skin.

They remained that way for a moment—staring into each other's eyes, their faces flushed, their breathing shallow. Then Chloe closed her eyes and kissed her. Slowly, sweetly, tenderly. Her hand trailed away from Beca's cheek, coming to rest on the curve of her waist.

Beca sighed happily. Her hands touched either side of Chloe's face and brought her closer, deepening the kiss.

Time became nonexistent as they lay there, tangled in one another, their hearts swelling with so much emotion; it was a wonder they didn't burst.

Reluctantly, Chloe broke the kiss, dizzy and breathless.

"Because I love you more than any language could ever express."

Uncharacteristically, Beca blushed.

"You're such a weirdo," she mumbled, looking away.

Her flustered expression was quickly swept away by a yawn.

"You're so adorable when you get sleepy after sex," Chloe giggled, nuzzling Beca's neck and peppering it with kisses.

Beca made a noise in her throat and grabbed Chloe by the hips, pulling her body on top of hers.

"If you keep doing that, I'll have no choice but to retaliate," Beca threatened, opening her legs and allowing Chloe to settle between them. Her nails trailed down Chloe's back teasingly before she grabbed her ass and pulled her up, their pelvises coming together in a thrilling way.

Chloe gasped, her laugh breathless. She grinned down at Beca.

"As much as I would love to go for another round…" Her words drifted off as Beca yawned once more, this time more pronounced. "… You'll fall asleep before we could even really get started again," she finished, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

Beca sulked good-naturedly.

"I can't help it," she huffed, her gaze accusatory. "You have so much energy. You're like an Energizer Bunny. On crack."

Chloe laughed as Beca's eyelids began to droop.

"I'm glad you find this so amusing," Beca mumbled.

"Very." Chloe tapped the tip of Beca's nose. "Close your eyes, my cute little sleepyhead," she cooed.

Beca obliged.

Gently, Chloe rolled off of her. She propped her head up on her palm, using her other hand to brush Beca's hair back, her fingers tender. She watched her curl up on her side, her face growing peaceful, her breath deepening.

Chloe could feel her throat tightening with the surge of emotions the sight gave her.

"I love you so much, Beca Mitchell," she whispered, their foreheads pressed together again.

A breath passed.

Then, "I'm going to marry your weirdo ass."

Chloe froze. It was said so quietly that she was sure she would have missed it if they hadn't been so close. When she'd spoken, she'd been certain that Beca had already fallen asleep. And the longer she watched her, the more she doubted that Beca wasn't sleeping.

"Beca?"

When there was no response, Chloe knew for certain that she had been talking in her sleep. Her hands began to tremble and her eyes became moist.

Her heart was sure to burst with the amount of happiness and adoration that was soaring through her.

Chloe crawled to Beca's other side and hugged her from behind, their bodies molding together perfectly as they did every night.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," she said, again and again, in between kisses to Beca's shoulder.

That is how they fell asleep—wrapped up in each other; full of joy, full of devotion, full of love, love, love.

* * *

Shafts of light peeked through the curtains as the sun broke over the horizon. The hazy sunlight shone on Beca's face, and so she woke.

Chloe was wrapped snugly behind her, her left arm draped over Beca's waist. Her eyes were still closed, her face peaceful.

"Now who's a sleepyhead?" Beca whispered, smiling.

She faced the other way again, her eyes settling on Chloe's limp hand. Silently, she twined their hands together. They stayed that way for a while, Beca's eyes studying the shape of Chloe's dainty wrist, the length of her slender fingers.

For a moment, her gaze lingered on the second leftmost finger and wondered, not for the first time, what it would be like to see a wedding band around it. Of course, that line of thought brought more to mind; like the act of actually proposing; of searching for a place to share. What the wedding ceremony would be like, if it would be big and extravagant, or intimate and personal. How they would spend the rest of their lives together.

Beca brought their knotted hands to her mouth and pressed a gentle kiss on Chloe's ring finger.

While Beca didn't often think about this, it made her feel all sorts of happy when she did.

"I'm going to marry your weirdo ass."

It was said so suddenly and unexpectedly, so ironically, that it startled Beca.

She turned to see Chloe watching their hands, her gaze clear and alert.

"W-what?" Beca said. Her eyes were wide.

Chloe turned her attention to her. "That's what you said to me last night."

Beca was speechless.

After watching her parents' marriage fall apart, she never thought about getting married herself. However, some time after starting a relationship with Chloe, thoughts began to wander in that direction. At first, the thoughts had scared Beca. Of course, she would never want to go through the same heartache that her parents had endured.

But recently, she had begun to question that fear. She and Chloe are unlike her parents in many ways, and the way they are around each other is nothing like how she remembered her parents to be. Still, Beca had never brought up any marriage talk with Chloe.

And yet, here they were, about to have one.

Several seconds passed as Beca tried to think of what to say.

In the end, she said, "You're not a weirdo. At least, not entirely. Only sometimes. Or a lot of the time."

Chloe giggled.

"I know that, silly billy. But that's not what I'm referring to." When Beca remained silent, Chloe's expression grew earnest and her voice quiet. "Would you really marry me?"

Beca's mouth opened and closed several times as she struggled with words. She quickly gave up and instead grabbed Chloe by the waist. She leaned in and brought their mouths together in a way that conveyed all of the feelings, all of the passion, she couldn't express into words.

Chloe's hands tangled into Beca's hair as she returned the kiss with equal fervor.

Some time passed before their lungs began to protest from air deprivation, and they broke apart with a gasp.

Beca pressed her forehead to Chloe's, their eyes intense as they gazed into each other.

"I would marry you in a heartbeat, Chloe Beale."

It was said strongly and without hesitation.

Chloe broke into a grin. "Does this mean we're engaged?"

Beca laughed, breathless. "I think a ring needs to be involved in order to be officially engaged."

Chloe was still smiling as she said, "So we're engaged unofficially?"

Beca studied Chloe's face for a moment. "Would you want to be my wife?"

"Yes." It was an instantaneous reply.

"Would you want to spend the rest of your life with me?"

"Yes."

"Would you want to divorce me if I made bad mixes?"

"Ye—no! No, I wouldn't!" Chloe pouted. "That was a trick question."

Beca chuckled, pressing a chaste kiss to Chloe's puckered lips. "Just checking to see if you were paying attention."

"Of course I was," Chloe huffed. "But you'd never make a bad mix. You're too talented for that."

With a grin, Beca brought Chloe into a longer, deeper kiss.

"Do you know what this means?" Beca asked when they separated, her lips brushing over Chloe's as she spoke.

"What?"

"We're engaged, in every sense of the word but the official."

Chloe squealed and peppered Beca's face with more kisses. When she reached her ear, she took the lobe in her mouth and sucked on it.

Beca gasped and moaned at once, her body heating all over with desire.

Huskily, Chloe whispered, "I think we should celebrate."


End file.
